Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus.



WITNESSES P. UTNE.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.30, I916.

Patented Jul 17, 1-917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

70 SOURE OF INVENTOH F2 0/0 PRESSURE @Mwm P. UTNE.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS,

APPLICATION man DEC-30, 191a.

mawwm Patented Jul 17,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- 1 L j a as 39x 2 m 22 25 l6 2 m H! [8 M2 24 m L 'l/ 33 m WITNESSES -70 ATMOSPHERE P., UTNE. RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-30. 19.16.

LWWFWW Patented July 17, 1917;

3 S'HEETSSHEET a.

WITNESSES INVENTOR QX W i W I T E? m FFI@.

PER U'INE, OF EDGEWOOD BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION- SWITGH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-TEAFFIO-CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

Application fi1ed December 30, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERU'INE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edgewood borough, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway- Traflic-Controlling Apparatus, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to railway traflic controlling apparatus, and particularly to improvements in valve apparatus for the con trol of fluid pressure operated railway traffic controlling devices, such as railway switches.

I will describe one form of railway traflic controlling device including one form of valve apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a View showing in section one form of valve apparatus embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line IIII of Fig. 1. In Fig. 1 certain valves.

and the eleotromagnets controlling them are swung around through 90 to place them in the plane of the remainder of the drawing for clearness of illustration, as will hereinafter appear, but in Fig. 2 the correspond ing parts, in so far as they appear, are shown.

in their proper positions with respect to the remainder of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of part of the valveapparatus on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 4: is a view showing a railway switch and one form of operating mechanism therefor including the valve apparatus shown in the preceding views, and also showing one arrangement of controlling circuits for the mechanism.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Fig. 4:, the reference character A designates a railway switch.

This switch is operated by a fluid pressure motor B, which motor is controlled by an electromagnetically controlled valve apparatus G. The electromagnets of the valve apparatus G are controlled as usual by .a suitable means, such as by a lever of an interlocking machine, as hereinafter explained.

The motor B, as here shown, comprises a Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 1'? 1917.

Serial No. 139,814.

the rails of switch A through the mediumof a suitable form of switch mechanism comprising, as here shown, a bar 2 moved longitudinally by the piston, an alligator jaw 3 operated by a stud 63 on the bar 2, and a bar 4: operatively connected with the alligator jaw and also connected with the switch rails. Switch mechanisms of this character are so well understood in the art as to require no further description or explanation herein.

The valve apparatus C is illustrated in detail in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Referring now to these views, the apparatus comprises a valve body 5 provided with a valve chamber 10 in which is located a slide valve 12 which ,reciprocates in suitable guides on a valve seat 11, as shown in Fig. 2. The valve seat 11 is provided with three ports 13, 1 1 and 15, of which port 13 communicates directly with atmosphere, and ports 14]: and 15 communicate respectively with the left-hand and the right-hand ends of cylinder 61 by pipes let and 15", as shown in Fig. A. The slide valve 12 is of the usual D-valve type having a recess 18, so that when the valve is in one extreme position (as shown in Fig. 3) it connects the right-hand end of cylinder 61 with atmosphere and the left-hand end with valve chamber 10, whereas when the valve is in the other extreme position it connects the right-hand end of cylinder 61 with chamber 10 and the left-hand end with atmosphere.

The valve body 5 is provided with another chamber 21 to which fluid pressure, usually air, is constantly supplied from a suitable source through a pipe 25. Fluid pressure is at times supplied from chamber 21 to the valve chamber 10 through a valve 22 which is biased to the closed position by a spring 23 and by the action of the fluid pressure in chamber 21 on the back of the valve. This valve is provided with a stem 24: extending into chamber 10 'and by means of which the valve may be opened at times, as will hereinafter be explained.

The valve body 5 is provided with a cylinder 33 in which a piston 35 is adapted to reciprocate. Fluid pressure is supplied to the cylinder 33 from chamber 21 through portsthe lock magnet. The valve device 29 connects cylinder 33 with atmosphere through opening 31, or with chamber 21, according as the lock magnet 30 is deenergized or energized. Piston 35, with its extension 35, passes through a cylindrical opening in the valve body and into the valve chamber 10,

where it is operatively connected with a re ciprocable plate 39 by means of a. button 40 on the end of the piston 35 and a jaw formed in the end of the plate. This plate 39 moves transversely t0v thedirection of movement of the slide valve 12, and performs two functions, viz., to operate valve 22, and to mechanically lock the slide valve.

Considering the locking function first, the

7 upper surface of the slide valve 12 is provided with three spaced transverse lugs 41,

'42 and 43, thus providing slots into which passes a tongue 16 formed on the underv surface of plate 39. lVhen the slide valve isin either extreme position the tongue 16 may pass into one or the other of the slots on the valve andf'so lock the valve in the position whichit occupies, as best shown in Fig. 3.

l/Vhen, however, the piston 35 is moved by the admission of fluid pressure to cylinder it moves plate 39 so that the tongue passes out of the-slots in the slide valve whereupon the valve is free to be reversed. The other function of this plate 39, viz., the openingof valve 22, is performed by this same movementof the plate by the piston 35, and is due merely to engagement of the end of the'plate with the stem 24 of valve 22.

When the lock magnet 30 is deenergized so that the outer end of cylinder 33 is connected with atmosphere through port 27 and port 31, the action of the fluid pressure in chamberlOon piston rod 35 moves the piston 35 outwardly and the button 40 in turn moves plate 39 to the locking position, thus permitting valve 22 to seat, as shown in Fig.

thepressure on this piston overbalances the combined forces acting on valve 22, so that plate39 is then moved to the unlocking position and valve 22 is opened, thus admitting fluid pressure to chamber 10. Plate 39 and valve 22 are, of course, immediately reversed upon the subsequent opening of cylinder 33 to atmosphere; p a

Theslide' valve is reciprocated by a fluid pressure. motor device constructed as follows? In thej valve body. 5 are two axially alined cylinders 44 and 45, in which are '10- eat-ed pistons 46 and 46 respectively. Integral with piston 46 is a rod 47, and with piston 46" a similar rod 48, which rods pass through suitable stufiing boxes in the val re body and abut against the opposite ends of the slide valve 12. It will be clear, therefore, that when the slide valve is unlocked, itinay be reciprocated by alternately admitting fluid pressure to cylinder 4-1- and 45. The supply of fluid pressure for these cylinders is taken from valve chamber 10, and this particular source of pressure for these cylinders is one of the important features of my invention. Cylinder 44 is connected with this chamber by ports 49 and 49, and the supply of fluid pressure to this cylinder is controlled by a valve device 53 which in turn is governed by an electromagnet 51. Similarly, cylinder 45 is supplied by ports 50 and 50 and the supply is controlled by a valve device 54 governed by an electromagnet 52. The arrangement of each valve device 53 and 54, and its corresponding magnet is such that when the magnet is deenergized the corresponding cylinder is connected with atmosphere through a port 17 or 17, and that when the magnet is energized the corresponding cylinder is disconnected from atmosphere and is connected with the valve chamber 10.

In Fig. 1, I have for clearness of illustration shown the-three electromagnets 30, 51 and 52, and the valves 29, 53 and 54 controlled thereby, in the same plane as the remainder of the drawing, but in practice these parts are preferably swung around so that they are vertically disposed with respect to the plane of Fig. 1, and they are so indicated in Figs. 2 and 4.

Referring now to Fig. 4, I have here shown one arrangement of circuits and conductors for the control of the valve device shown in the precedingviews. The electro- 1nagnets 30, 51 and 52 are governed by a contact 57 operated by a manually operable lever 56, which lever is one of a plurality of similar levers comprised in an interlocking machine. It is understood that in practice suitable indication apparatus would be employed for controlling movements of the lever 56 in accordance with movements of the switch A, but in this view I have purposely omitted the indication apparatus and the contacts and circuits controlling such apparatus in order to simplify the drawing.

When the switch A occupies the position in which it is shown in Fig. 4, which I will herein term the normal position) and the contact 53 occupies the corresponding extreme position of its stroke in, engagement with plate 57, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, magnet 51 (the normal magnet) is encrgized from battery 64, and the other two magnetsare deenergized. The circuits for these magnets will be obvious from the drawing, and, consequently, they need not be traced in detail. Magnet 51 being energized, cylinder 44 is connected with valve chamber '10 bya' alve 53, but fluid pressure is not supplied to this cylinder because valve 22 between chambers 10 and 21 is closed, due to the fact that the lock magnet 30 is deenergized. The reverse magnet 52 is, of course, deenergized. The slide valve 12 is locked in its extreme right hand position and fluid pressure is cut off from valve chamber 10 and from all parts of the apparatus except the chamber. 21.

When it is desired to move the switch A to its other position (the reverse position), the manual lever 56is swung to the right through a portion of its stroke until stopped by the indication apparatus in such position that the movable contact 57 is in engagement with both, plates57 and 57 During this movement of the lever the circuit for lock magnet 30 is first closed at con tact 57, and then the circuit for reverse magnet 52 is closed at contact 57 ;-.the circuit for the normal magnet 51 is, of course, opened as the contact finger 57 leaves con tact plate 57*. The energization of magnet 30 causes the admission of fluid pressure from chamber 21 to cylinder 33, thereby causing movement of piston 35 in such direction as to unlock the slide valve 12 and open valve 22, as hereinbefore explained. The opening of valve 22 admits fluid pressure to the valve chamber 10, and magnet 52 being energized, valve 54 admits fluid pres sure from the chamber 10 to cylinder 45, so that the slide valve 12 is shifted to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1. This movement is not impeded by pressure in cylinder 44 because the deenergization of magnet 51 caused this cylinder to be opened to atmosphere by valve 53. This causes the admission of fluid pressure to the right-hand end of cylinder 61, as viewed in Fig. 4, through ports 15 and 15*, so that switch A is then moved to the reverse position through the medium of the switch operating mechanism. When the movement of the switch is completed and the switch has been properly locked, the manual lever 56 in the interlocking machine is released by the indication apparatus and its movement to the right may be completed, thus opening the circuit for lock magnet 30. The denergization of this magnet 30 causes cylinder 33 to be disconnected from the source of fluid pressure and opened to atmosphere, whereupon valve 22 becomes closed and the slide valve 12 is locked in its extreme left-hand position, as viewed in Fig. 1. All parts of the apparatus are thus again disconnected from the source of fluid pressure except chamber 21.-

The operation of the apparatus for movement of switch A from its reverse to its normalposition is similar to the operation just explained.

fine feature of the apparatus hereinbefore described is that it is impossible to admit fluid pressure to either of the operating cylinders 44 or 45 until the slide valve 12 has been unlocked; that is, the same movement of plate 39 which serves to open valve 22 and so admit air to chamber 10' and so to the valve-operating cylinder serves also to unlock the slide valve. Consequently, there is no tendency to shift this slide valve while the locking tongue 16 is in the path of the locking lugs 41, 42 or 43. By virtue of this fact I avoid the possibility of friction between the valve 12 and the locking tongue 16 preventing a complete movement of the plate 39 to unlock the valve 12.

Another feature of my invention is the fact that in the event of false energization of either magnet 51 or 52, air will not be admitted to either cylinder 44 or 45 to move the slide valve 12 unless lock magnet 30 is at the same time energized.

I am aware of United States Letters Pat ent No. 1,202,164, granted to John P. Coleman on October 24, 1916, and do not claim as my invention anything shown or de scribed in that patent.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of railway traflic controlling apparatus, and one form of valve device embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a valve chamber, a valve operating therein, a source of fluid pressure, means for connecting said chamber with or disconnecting it from said source, fluid pressure means for controlling said valve, and means for supplying fluid pressure to said fluid pressure means from said valve chamber.

2. In combination, a valve chamber, a valve operating therein, a source of fluid pressure, means for mechanically locking and unlocking said valve, means controlled by said locking means for connecting said chamber with said source of fluid pressure or for disconnecting it from said source according as the valve is unlocked or locked, fluid pressure means for controlling said valve, and means for supplying fluid pressure to said fluid pressure means from said valve chamber.

3. In combination, a valve chamber, a valve operating therein, a source of fluid pressure, means for connecting said chamber with or disconnecting it from said source, a fluid pressure device for causing reverse movements of said valve according as fluid pressure is supplied to said device at one point or another, orts for supplying fluid pressure from said valve chamber to comes; of 1115 patehtimayzbe ?obtained a;

the two' saiid -peints of: sa-i'd fdevi'ce,f andvalves--in said "ports ;fo"r=rc0ntrolling; tlie operations of said valve.

4.111 combination, a valve, means for:

5 locking said valve, fluid pressure operating means for 'causingfereverse movements of said valve, a chamber fromv Whicnthe sup-p ply of'fluid pressure for 1 said operating means isobtai'n'ed, a source of fluid-pressure,

ogand means for simultaneously unlocking 5 operating said device,'a source of fluid pres sure, --a valve "for controlling-the supplygof pressure from saidwsource to said motor, means for locking said valve, fluid pressure operated means for causing movement of ,zoasa-id valve, a chamber from which the sup ply of pressure for said valve-moving-means is obtained," a controllingrlever, and means controlled by said lever for simultaneously lmleckirr said -valve,- admitting pressure from sal source to said chamber and governi'ng sa1-d-valve-mov1ng means.

6. Incombination, a railway trafiic controllingdevice, 'a fluid pressure motor,for operating said'device, a source of fluid pressure, a valve chamber, a valve operating'in said chamber forcontrollingvthe supply of fluid pressure from said chamber to said motor,- meansfor locking-said valve, fluid pressure operated means for 'movingvsaid valveyacontrolling level-3} and means-governed by saidvleverfor simultaneously unlocking saidvalve, admitting, pressure from saidsou-rce'tosaidvalve chamber, and sup: plyingpressure fronr said valve chamber to said valve-moving -means.

In testimony whereof I alfix my ;-signature inpresence'of two'witnesses. I v I p c PER? UTNE; Witnesses:

A. HERMAN \WEGNER, EDWIN D: J ONES.

five cents eaeh, bj adfli'essingihe" commissioner of Patents; Washington, D. 0.? 

